Various embodiments relate to surgical fastening devices and to creating and/or placing surgical fastening devices. The surgical fastening devices may be particularly suited to use in open, laparoscopic and/or endoscopic surgical environments and, in various embodiments, may be inserted through a natural orifice in the body to reach a surgical site.
Surgical clips are generally used to apply clamping force to ducts, vessels, and other tissues. In addition, surgical clips are used to control bleeding of a tissue in lieu of suturing or stapling where suturing and stapling are difficult, such as in laparoscopic and/or endoscopic surgical environments. For example, surgical clips may be used to close perforations in the gastrointestinal tract resulting from ulcers, polypectomies, etc. Because of their relatively large size, it is difficult to place multiple surgical clips in close proximity to one another. Therefore, if a surgeon fails to place a surgical clip at an optimum location on the first attempt, it may be necessary to remove the surgical clip before placing another. This may unnecessarily lengthen surgical procedures and cause damage to tissue.
It is also known to use surgical sutures to close various wounds. In a laparoscopic or endoscopic environment, however, it may be difficult to pass instruments suitable for performing a typical “pass and catch” suturing method through a trocar or an endoscope working channel. Accordingly, various suture anchors such as “T-tags” and other fasteners have been developed. These fasteners anchor themselves either through or within tissue. Suture material is then secured to the anchors, allowing a wound or other opening to be closed. Suture anchors, however, present their own difficulties. For example, placing a suture anchor often requires partially or completely perforating the tissue, creating a risk of puncture or injury to surrounding tissue and organs. Also, once a suture anchor has been placed, it may be difficult to remove it or place additional anchors in close proximity. Additional fastening methods are needed.